Big Ten announces top offensive, defensive and freshman honors for 2024 season
Big Ten honors for the 2024 season are ready to be dished out, and the league is announcing the full list of honor recipients on BTN Tuesday afternoon!
The top 3 honors went to the heavy hitters this season with an honoree each from Oregon and Penn State. Those two teams will face off in Indianapolis to decide the Big Ten Championship Game.
The 3rd top honor went to an Ohio State Buckeye. Ryan Day’s team had a chance to reach Indy but faltered in The Game to open the door for Penn State.
Here are the 3 major honors from the B1G this season:
Offensive Player of the Year
- Dillon Gabriel, Oregon QB
Along with the Offensive Player of the Year honor, Gabriel also took home the QB of the Year. He led the B1G in completion percentage and passing yards while finishing with the 2nd-most passing touchdowns.
Gabriel was among the national passing leaders all season long and delivered 31 total touchdowns. A pre-season Heisman Trophy candidate, Gabriel led the Ducks to a 12-0 record and appearance in Indy during their first Big Ten season.
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 to Dillon Gabriel, the 2024 Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year! #B1GFootball x @oregonfootball pic.twitter.com/kkL89yHdWf
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) December 3, 2024
Defensive Player of the Year
- Abdul Carter, Penn State DE
Carter was already a game-changing defender coming into his junior season with the program, but Penn State made the move to place the former linebacker at defensive end in the offseason. He thrived and took home the Defensive Lineman of the Year honor to go with the top individual defensive honor.
Carter finished 2nd in the B1G with 10 sacks while leading the lead in tackles for loss. He helped push the Nittany Lions to an 11-1 overall record and first appearance in the league’s title game since 2016.
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 to Abdul Carter, the 2024 Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year! #B1GFootball x @PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/DQ9HKxTYpz
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) December 3, 2024
Freshman of the Year
- Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State WR
No surprises here. Smith stepped into elite expectations at Ohio State and quickly became a go-to threat for the offense, re-writing the freshman record books for the Buckeyes.
The legendary prospect scored a touchdown in 9 of his 12 games this season and finished with 11 total touchdowns. Smith now holds Ohio State freshman records for receiving yards (934) and receiving touchdowns (10) and was also named the leagues WR of the Year.
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 to Jeremiah Smith, the 2024 Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year! #B1GFootball x @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/cP0iOCLp4w
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) December 3, 2024